Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: ECI Directive Forces State Administration To Halt Implementation Of Mahayuti Govt's Populist Schemes

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) directives have forced the state administration to wind up implementation of populist schemes launched by the Mahayuti government. This includes the implementation of ongoing schemes such as Ladki Bahin Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Yojana Doot, and others.

Despite the model code of conduct (MCC) becoming applicable, efforts were on to disburse instalments of Ladki Bahin Scheme for the month of October and November. As soon as the office of the state chief electoral officer (CEO) issued guidelines on identifying new beneficiaries for old schemes and disbursal of the funds to the beneficiaries already on the roll, the state administration stopped its implementation.

We have issued general guidelines under the MCC and those are applicable to all the programmes targeted towards the voters, said Kiran Kulkarni, joint CEO. The instructions by the office of the CEO read - no new scheme or identification of new beneficiaries for old schemes allowed during the MCC period and funds are not to be distributed without prior permission of ECI.

According to an official from the Women and Child Development Department in Mantralaya, the implementation of Ladki Bahin Scheme has been stopped. The department was in the process of depositing the monthly amount for October and November. It succeeded in a substantial number of beneficiaries but the ECI guidelines stipulate the task cannot be completed. Similar has been the case with other schemes such as Mukhya Mantri Yojana Doot Scheme and similar schemes where individual beneficiaries get monthly payments. The ruling Mahayuti alliance relies heavily on these schemes in view of the upcoming elections to the state assembly.

Earlier, the state government had to withdraw a number of decisions from the government website as those were uploaded after the MCC came into force. The state has also stopped implementation of the new appointments on the state boards and corporations where activists of ruling Mahayuti have been nominated.

Notice to Bangar

The election department has slapped a notice on Santosh Bangar, MLA from Kalamnuri (Dist Hingoli) in Marathwada region after a video clip of him telling someone to use phone pe to bring voters from outside went viral, inviting a backlash. He is trying to use money to garner votes, his local political rivals alleged. When asked about the notice, the joint CEO Kiran Kulkarni said it must have been issued by the district election officer.

MLA Bangar, who has been asked to clarify, belongs to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. While admitting that the video clip of his, he said the voice was of someone else. “I do not know what Pay Phone or Google is”, he told a regional news channel.